


Why Should I Fly?

by Too_Many_Ships_Not_Enough_Time



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: F/M, Short Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-14
Updated: 2016-09-14
Packaged: 2018-08-14 22:57:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8032294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Too_Many_Ships_Not_Enough_Time/pseuds/Too_Many_Ships_Not_Enough_Time
Summary: What happens if instead of York dying, Carolina dies? What would the repercussions be?





	Why Should I Fly?

His hands shook as he took off his helmet. He couldn’t remember when his hands had shook this badly before. “D, what is the chance of Carolina surviving this?” He called out, not caring that the others could hear him. “There is a zero percent chance that Agent Carolina will survive,” came the response from the A.I. York slid down the wall that he had taken shelter behind, tears streaking his face. Wash looked at his comrade, seeing how shaken he was. “479er, we need immediate evac! The Meta is too much for us,” Wash’s voice cracked on that sentence. Just mere months ago, the Meta- or Maine, as Wash would forever call him- had been one of his best friends. Not to mention Carolina’s long time best friend too.

“Roger that,” 479ers reply came, her voice, too, filled with pain and sorrow. Maine had been her husband. She was now being forced to hunt him down and kill him. “Any casualties?” York sobbed. “Ca-Carolina,” Wash choked out. There was a sniffle from 479ers end. “How-how bad?” came the question. York put his helmet back on.

“She’s dead. 479er, she’s dead. Her pulse just stopped,” Wash said. York let out a wail. 479er let out a brief sob. “I-I’ll have the ship there in three, two, one…” A ship crowded the sky. York stood suddenly. “I need to get Carolina’s body. I can’t just leave her there,” York moved to head over to where Carolina’s body laid, but Wash threw an arm across York’s chest, struggling to hold him back. “No, York. You can’t, I’m sorry,” Wash began, losing his grip on the stronger man. York let out another wail. “I can’t just leave her here! And she’s got Delta!” He collapsed on the ground. “I just got her back. I just got her back.” 

York’s wails subdued to sobs, and he allowed himself to be dragged onto 479ers ship. Wash walked over to where Carolina had fought, where Carolina had died. He bent down, retrieving Delta from where he was implanted. “I’m so sorry,” Wash whispered, sliding off Carolina’s helmet and kissing his half-sister's cold body. “I… I love you sis. I’m so sorry,” York somehow had managed to fight off Agents North and South Dakota to met Wash where Carolina was. York slumped to his knees, sobbing harder. “Don’t go, my little ‘Lina. Please. Please,” York whimpered. 

Wash gripped York’s shoulder and pulled him onto his feet. “On your feet, soldier,” Wash cried, tears slipping down his face. “Get on the ship,” Wash commanded. “Bu-but-” York blubbered, but he was quickly cut off by Wash again. “GET ON THE SHIP, AGENT NEW YORK!!!!” Wash screamed. York flinched as if he had been slapped, then walked away towards the ship, his hands still shaking. 

Wash’s hands were shaking too. From his belt, he grabbed a sticky grenade. Trembling, Wash held his half-sister’s hand for the first and last time, bringing it to his lips and kissing it. “I love you. I’m sorry.” With those words, Wash put Carolina’s hands on her chest and slid her helmet back on. He pulled on a chain from under his armor, snapping it and then nestling it so it was clutched between her limp hands, and stood, still holding the sticky grenade. “I-um, I guess this is my only time to say a few words for you. First, I’m sorry that I never got the chance to know you better. For the little time I knew I was your half brother, I never made the move to get closer to you. You didn’t either, but, well, I can’t blame you. You wanted to be better than Tex, but when Wyoming shot you, you wanted revenge on him, which forced you to join Tex,” Wash paused to wipe tears from his eyes. “And caused your untimely death. Oh, God, Carolina, I wish I didn’t have to do this.

“York is a mess. It-it’s hard to believe, but he’s a wreck. You were a good person. Even the Director, your father, loved you and adored you. He had odd ways of showing it, but he did. Everyone adored you, you were everyone’s role model. We are all going to miss you. Sometimes, you know, check on York or me, or, hell, even North and South. Maybe the Director. Keep in mind, he just lost his daughter, in addition to his wife. Tell him you love him, or forgive him, or something. At least tell him you miss him, even though that could count as a lie.” Wash looked around. 

“Look, you’ll have to forgive me, 479ers about to take off. You know how she is.” Wash paused to wipe away more tears. “I’m sorry. Listen, just check in, every so often, if you can. Just, tell me you’re fine or something, or tell York. I know I’ve said it before. But… I guess this is goodbye, Carolina.” Wash leaned down and snapped Carolina’s dog tags off of her neck. A figure appeared next to Wash. He turned suddenly. “Tex!” Wash exclaimed. Tex shook her head. “You need to go. And… Don’t tell her goodbye. You’ll see her again. I know. Just, after a while.” Tex wrapped her hand around the hand that Wash had been using to hold the grenade. “Let’s do it together, I’ll pull the pin, you give it to her,” Tex suggested. Wash nodded. “Don’t think this means anything,” Tex warned. Wash cracked a smile. “Of course not.”

“One, two, three,” Wash and Tex counted. Tex pulled the pin of the sticky grenade and Wash hurriedly stuck it in Carolina’s hands. Tex ran in one direction while Wash ran for the ship, turning to watch Carolina’s body blow up. “I’m sorry,” He murmured as the ship took off into orbit. York walked over to Wash, and Wash put his hand on York’s shoulder. York’s face had turned blank, the only thing that showed he had been upset were the tear tracks had made path down York’s cheeks. 

“Do you think she’ll forgive me?” York murmured, almost too quiet for Wash to hear him. Wash turned to the half-blind super soldier in front of him. “For what?” York shuffled his feet and looked down. “For deserting her. For not being there when she needed me. For not protecting her. For every little thing that I did wrong to her. For not being there and taking Wyoming’s bullet for her. For not protecting her against the Meta. For not being there for her when Maine became that-that-thing,” York’s voice broke, shattering his image of being composed.

Wash turned to face his friend. “Of course she forgives you,” Wash said, lowering his voice as South and North had their heads bent, trying and failing to hold back tears. “It’s who she was as a person. Do you remember when you guys met?” York let out a rough laugh. “Yeah, you were right there behind me. I didn’t know you at the time, and my other buddies had left me. I was flicking this lighter, on and off, on and off, and she comes up and takes my lighter. Just out of the blue, takes it right out of my hands!” Wash smiled. York rubbed a hand under his blinded eye, smiling softly at the memory. He pulled something small out from his belt, revealing the lighter that Carolina stole. “She gave it back to me this morning,” York said, his tone sombering. “She seemed to know something was going to happen. I… I wish she had told me what she was going to do.”

Wash shook York’s shoulder. “She most likely didn’t know. We didn’t know, either,” South and North stood, walking over to Wash and York. South had red eyes from crying, and North had tear tracks down his face. South sniffled. “Who’s going to tell the Director?” North straightened beside his brother and sister. “I will,” North said at the same time as Wash, and the two of them looked at each other. “Both of us? No, just you,” They said at the same time again. South sniffled again. “For the love of god, All four of us can do it. If, you want to, York.” York crossed his arms over his chest. 

“I think that’s a good idea, South,” York said. Wash and North gaped at him, North recovering the fastest. “We were all friends with her. We all knew her, we were all there when she died. We should all tell her.” York ended. South nodded. “Hey, I know this is traumatic for y’all, but we’re about to touch down on the MOI.” 479ers voice rang out from the speakers. Wash could hear the tears in her voice, and moved up to the cockpit. “You okay, 9er?” 

“Hold on a minute,” 479ers response came. There was a thud as the smaller ship docked against the MOI. 479er took of her helmet and gasped for air, finally allowing herself to cry in hard, heaving sobs. She curled up in her chair, crying into her hands. Wash looked at the pilot, his brown eyes flickering down to her baby bump. “No,” 479er hiccuped. “I am hunting down my husband, I'm six months pregnant with his child, and my best friend just died. She was going to tell something to York after this. Oh my god, I can't do this.” 479er sank deeper into her seat. 

Wash crouched next to her. “Wait, what? What was she going to tell him?” 479er shook her head. “I can’t do that to you. I can’t do that to Carolina. I can’t do that to York. I can’t…” 479er trailed off. Wash took her hands, looking her in the eyes. “Please, tell me. I won’t tell York, and I know you can’t keep a secret,” 479er sighed, sniffling. “I know I can’t either, but you have to promise me that you won’t tell York. Or anyone else,” Wash nodded. 479er sniffled again. “She was so happy. I tried to force her not to go, I tried my best. I tried my hardest.” Wash rubbed circles on the back of 479ers hands, his eyebrows wrinkling. “What do you mean, 9er?” The pilot sniffed again. “Andromeda. It’s easier to say.” Wash smiled. “In that case, call me David,” Andromeda tried to wipe away her tears, but they just kept coming. “David, Lina was pregnant. One month. She was so happy, apparently her and York had been trying for a while. She wasn’t going to tell York until after that fight. She knew he was going to try to talk her out of it. I tried to too, but she didn’t listen. I might as well have killed her,” Andromeda ended. 

David’s eyes widened. He dropped Andromeda’s hands, backing away. “Oh my god,” David covered his mouth, fresh tears falling from his eyes. “My poor baby sister. My poor, poor baby sister,” Andromeda nodded, tears already resuming their paths down her cheeks. “My best friend is dead. Her baby is dead. Her baby didn’t have a chance. It’ll never get to see the light of day. It’s not fair!” Andromeda stood suddenly, hammering her fists into David’s chest. David let out a grunt, backing up against a wall out of shock. “My baby survives, and my best friends’ died! How’s that fair? Tell me how that’s fair!” David caught Andromeda’s hands, gently pushing her back down into her chair.

“It’s not fair. If life was fair, Maine would still be Maine. Carolina would still be here. But life isn’t fair, Andromeda. We have to face it some time. I’m facing it now. I have to go down and tell my half sister's father that his daughter died on the field of battle. How am I supposed to tell him that his grandchild is dead? That his daughter is dead too? Look, right now, be happy you have a child. Be happy that you are alive and that everyone else is alive.”

Andromeda rested her hands on her belly, sniffling again. “I will try. For now, get off of my ship. I have an appointment to get to. Today I get to find out if it’s a baby Maine or a baby me,” David smiled a soft smile. He patted her head awkwardly before walking out the door. He put his helmet back on, hiding the tear tracks on his face. He joined his teammates off of the ship, haunted by the words that had been spoken. “Wash, you okay?” South radioed, cutting the ties to the other freelancers. “No,” Wash choked out, launching into heaving, gasping sobs. South stared, watching as Wash collapsed on the floor. York soon crumpled, too, and the two supersoldiers embraced in a sobbing heap on the floor.

The first thing Wash saw as he ripped off his helmet was a pair of shiny, brown shoes near his head. He heard the silky smooth southern drawl and something went click in his head as the voice spoke. “Where is my daughter, Agents Washington and New York?” York collapsed into another crying jag, his entire body shaking with the force of his tears. Wash gently set the crying man on the floor and stood. North and South ran to his side as he stumbled, tired out from dehydration. He leaned heavily on North as he inhaled deeply and prepared to speak. “Sir, your daughter’s dead,” There was a wail from York. “Wyoming had to shoot her. She was working against us.” Wash looked back to find Wyoming sitting on a crate, his head in his hands and his mustache drooping. The Director put his head in his hands and too, slumped onto a crate. A flock of med personals ran to his side. With a hand, the Director shoed them away, and remained on the crate. “Are you sure she is dead, Agent Washington?” Wash nodded and the Director stood. 

The Director paced across the floor, his face crumpling. “How? What did she do?” the Director punched a wall, let out a yelp, and continued to pace. “What did Carolina do to deserve to die?” Wyoming stood. He walked over, his feet falling heavily with every step. “She teamed with Tex. I had to. She was too good. I’m sorry,” Wyoming stated. “I didn’t mean to kill her. I meant to shoot her leg. Just enough to warn her off. The Meta… The Meta arrived. Took me by surprise.”

Wyoming turned to the side, revealing a long gasp up his left side. It trailed from the middle of his thigh to halfway up his abdomen. “As I fired a shot at Carolina, he attacked. Slit me from here-” Wyoming pointed to the jagged end of the slash on his thigh “-To here.” He pointed to the other end on his chest. “I guess no matter what, The Meta is Carolina’s best friend.” 

There was a sound from the floor. South giggled. “York fell asleep. He was so worn out from crying, he fell asleep,” South bent down and carefully picked up the sleeping freelancer, tossing him over her shoulder and walking down the hall to his room. Wash turned back to the Director. “I’m sorry. I had… I had to do the respects myself,” Wash opened his hand, revealing the dog tags he never let go of. “I grabbed these though. Hurt me. It felt weird, Carolina never ta-took off her dog tags.” The Director snatched the dog tags out of Wash’s hands. Wash let out a surprised cry as the Director crumpled to the floor. There was a loud wail, this time not from York. 

The noise came from the Director. He had clutched the tags to his chest and was sobbing, his normally neatly slicked back hair falling in his face. His glasses had slipped down his face and were on the floor, one lense cracked, the other lense shattered. “No-not-my-not-Lina-no,” The Director said, in between heaving sobs. The freelancers gathered around, not sure what to do. North made eye contact with Wash, and the two of them nodded. 

Wash slipped out of the ring of warriors surrounding their crying boss and exited the room, accompanying North down to York’s room. “Why are we going here?” Wash asked. North shrugged. “I don’t know. I just get the feeling that we need to see York right now,” Wash barked out a laugh. “Your mom sense acting up again?” North nodded. “And it’s dad sense, thank you.”

Wash slid open the door to reveal York, sleeping, his limbs splayed out on the floor. North’s breath hitched. Wash looked at him, then back to York as North hit him. “Blood,” North whispered. “That’s blood.” Upon a closer look, there was a small puddle of blood around York. Wash slid on his knees next to York, slapping the man’s face. “York! York!” There was a groan. “Oh thank god, York.” Wash ruffled York’s hair. “Don’t do that to us. Ever again.” York moaned. “I saw Lina,” York muttered. North gasped. “You saw her? Like, she came to take you into ‘the light’?” North said. York shook his head, chuckling. “No, she told me it wasn’t my time.” 

**“York, honey, you’re home!” Carolina cried, running up to her husband and burying her face in his chest as York wrapped his arms around her. “Yes, little Lina, I’m home. I’m here.” Carolina looked up at York, a soft smile on her face. She pulled his face into hers, locking them both in a kiss. When York finally pulled away, he gasped as he saw tears down her face. Wiping them away hurriedly, he asked her, “Why are you crying, dollface?” Carolina smiled a smile that York would never forget: One of joy, one of happiness, but one that contained so much grief. “It’s not your time, Roman. But I love you. You’ll join me here someday. I know. For now, I’m here with our daughter- she’s wonderful, I named her Allison.” York inhaled sharply. “We have a daughter?” Carolina nodded. “And son. I named him Sam. I’m sorry if you don’t like the names.” York pulled her into another hug. “The names are perfect Lina. Just perfect.” Carolina buried her face in York’s chest. “I love you,” York smiled. “I love you too.” Carolina lifted her head. “Keep flying, Roman. Please,” York looked down at his wife. “Why though? Why should I fly?”

 

Carolina giggled. “Do you remember the first ‘date’ we had? You were telling me stories to keep me conscious. One of them was about how you loved to fly, and as a little kid, there was nothing more than what you would like to do except be a pilot. And when your dad signed you up for the UNSC, and you became able to fly everywhere for the rest of your life, it seemed like a dream come true. Then 479er touched down and flipped out about the blood.” York smiled. “Yeah, I do remember that. Bye for now, I guess.” Carolina kissed York one last time. “Don’t say goodbye. A goodbye seems to sad. See you later, Roman.”**

Wash sat back. “Wow. She told you all that?” York nodded and tried to stand, stumbling. North stuck an arm under York and straightened up. Tears were blurring Wash’s vision and he had to wipe them away. “She really loved you. She’s really going to miss you.” York, too, was crying. “I’m going to miss her more.” Wash took the other side of York. “We all will.”


End file.
